Thanks, Vanessa. You husband's pain sounds a lot like mine -- the sores are horribly painful and make it hard to even drink creamed soup or anything. I am keeping the PEG in the back of my mind as a possibility if the time comes when I can't even do Carnation VHC. I have Percoset for pain, works moderately well, but I probably need to go for the full dose instead of "soldiering on" through the pain as I tend to do. If I do up my pain meds, I will definitely need to have rides to treatment, since the meds make me woozy. My fiance is ready to drive, and the American Cancer Society also has free rides when I need them. I also was given Lidocaine yesterday, and that works well for about half an hour; I'm going to ask again about Magic Mouthwash the next time I go in, too.

I'm glad your husband is DONE -- how terrific he must feel about that! I hope his next few weeks go well; they will probably be hard, but it sounds like he's got great support from you and all the right meds in place.



Chrissy

Stage 2 SCC upper right palate
Hemi-palatectomy and maxillectomy 5/28/09
Six teeth gone
IMRT x30 starts July 13. Completed 8/26/09
Carboplatin and Taxol x6 starting 7/14/09. Completed 8/25/09.